The Silksong Moorwing boss fight is one of the most startling difficulty spikes in the early game, with a flying foe that swoops down and spits out spinning blades. For those still getting used to Hollow Knight Silksong, it's worth knowing that there's ways to cheese, evade or summon help for Moorwing, depending on what you're hoping. Yes, the knight Garmond is only a room away, able to act as both a distraction and source of damage against this enemy, as I'll explain below!
How to defeat Moorwing in Hollow Knight Silksong
If you're looking to beat Moorwing in Hollow Knight Silksong, here are some basic tips and tricks to help you develop a working strategy.
- Go into the room above and save Garmond to obtain him as a summon for the fight.
- Equip the Silkspear over the Thread Storm, as it's easier to use in a fight this fast.
- Don't get too far away, as Moorwing can still attack you from off-screen and it's harder to avoid if you can't see the wind-up.
- Stay close to the raised step on the right side of the arena, as it throws off a lot of Moorwing's attacks.
- Mere contact with Moorwing does damage! Make sure you don't walk into it by accident, even when it's downed.
- If you have the Silksong Shell Shards, make sure you're throwing tools where possible – extra damage is always good.
The important thing to know is that Moorwing has a lot of health, and that this is a battle of attrition that'll take time. If you think you're nearly at a victory, you've probably still got a while to go, especially when compared to encounters like the Silksong Bell Beast.
Moorwing attack patterns and how to fight it
Moorwing has several identifiable attacks, each one of which leaves an opening for you to avoid and counterattack. More attacks will appear as you enter phase 2 of the fight.
- Moorwing flies close to the ground in a rapid charge.
- Leap over and do the Silksong pogo jump on Moorwing's head as it passes beneath you.
- Moorwing draws back and claws at the player.
- Dash away, jump up, and slash at Moorwing's head. Alternatively, dash beneath it and hit it in the back.
- Moorwing sends out a rolling blade across the floor that rises up into the air after a moment.
- Jump over the blade towards Moorwing and hit it. Don't try to run away, as you risk the blade catching you on the ascent.
- (Phase 2) Moorwing sends out two rolling blades in one direction. They rise up into the air at different points.
- Leap over the first one but hang back so the second one doesn't catch you. It'll actually do a full loop and slam into the ground.
- (Phase 2) Moorwing sends out two rolling blades in both directions. They meet at the ground and bounce off each other to roll away.
- Stay back from the blades as they come down, then leap over them as they bounce away and slash up at Moorwing.
Moorwing boss fight summons
You can unlock a summon for the Moorwing fight by going to the room above Moorwing's on the Silksong map, and on the left hand side you'll find an NPC called Garmond, with his mount Zaza. Free him, and then you can speak to him at the bottom of the room and he'll offer to help with the fight!
Garmond becomes an NPC who automatically appears in all future encounters with Moorwing. He doesn't do a huge amount, stabbing at the boss for small amounts of damage, but it's a minor benefit that can make the difference.
Moorwing cheese strategy
There is currently a method to cheese Moorwing that is likely to get patched out soon. However, it still works at time of writing, and works as follows:
- Obtain and equip the Crest of the Reaper.
- Go to Moorwing and trigger the boss fight.
- Dash right and up to the little ceiling alcove that links Moorwing's room to the one you find Garmond in (shown above).
- Moorwing will try to fly to you, but bump its head on the divide and be unable to attack. You can use the downwards swipe of the Reaper Crest to hit it though.
And that's all you should need to slay the Moorwing! It's not easy, but this advice will give you the best chances. While you're at it, why not find out how to beat the Silksong Skull Ant boss? Or find out what you need to know about the Silksong Bellhart hub town, located just ahead, but still very much in need of help.
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